Traditional Bajan touches and a seaside palette set the scene for a laid-back Caribbean feast.

Homeowner and designer Colette van den Thillart chose to play up the beachy vibe in the dining room of her Barbados vacation home. Green-striped slipcovers over teak furniture complement the lush greenery outside and a white ceiling and drapes make the space feel fresh. The gingerbreading is a traditional detail on island houses.

“I wanted a glam shack — the romantic idea of the room on the beach and the Robinson Crusoe fantasy,” says homeowner Colette van den Thillart of the bedroom in her Barbados home. High-gloss, lacquered white ceilings add height and a four-poster bed draped in mosquito netting lends a feminine touch. Red side tables are a burst of contrast.

Colette designed an Oliver Messel-inspired trellis screen outside so that she can leave the windows open to the refreshing breeze and still have privacy while bathing. Seashells adorn the space, enhancing the seaside vibe.

A winding walkway framed with palms and lanterns welcomes guests to this island home.

Coral stone steps lead up to Colette van den Thillart’s charming Barbados beach house. The exterior reflects the local wooden chattel house style, with gingerbread detailing. The island’s easterly location means early sunsets, so lanterns on the steps light the way.

The transition between indoors and out in this Maui dining room is softened with dramatic drapes.

Italian-style lanterns make a stylistic reference to the outdoors and softly illuminate the French farmhouse table. Neutral tones and textures look elegant against the vibrant greenery of the surrounding gardens.

The kitchen in designer Sloan Mauran’s Palm Beach retreat was inspired by a modern Belgian aesthetic. The TV is recessed in the wall for a sleek look, and its chunky stone frame mirrors the thick edge on the marble peninsula. The range hood is clad in stainless steel and spans the stoves and work areas for a dramatic effect.

In designer Sloan Mauran’s Palm Beach home, breakfast is taken in the family room, where the glass-topped Parsons table also doubles as a home office. Her 11-year-old daughter’s friends often convene here. “I usually have about three or four other children over all the time,” says Mauran.

To keep focus on the views, Sloan skipped a mantel and adorned the living room chimney breast with sculptural kudu horns. Mirrors flanking the fireplace mimic the glass doors and reflect the outdoors inside.

Place X-benches in front of beds for propping suitcases. “The guest rooms are right next to each other with their own ensuite baths. If I’m hosting friends with children, they can stay close together in their own little wing,” says designer Sloan Mauran of her Palm Beach retreat.

At Monica and Michael Belcourt’s sleek, modern getaway home in the Dominican Republic’s luxe Casa de Campo resort, all the principal rooms along the front of the house open onto the pool area, which offers spectacular views of the Caribbean across a sprawling lawn.

Inspired by the tropical locale, Monica and Michael chose an eye-opening shade of leaf green for the sleek Italian cabinets.

The pair love to cook with family and friends and dreamed of a dramatic modern kitchen that would be fun, functional and big enough to accommodate multiple chefs. "The minute you walk in, you're energized to cook," says Monica.

A massive table and solid credenza keep the room from looking too "leggy."

Surrounded by pale coral stone walls and porcelain-slab floors, the dark, linear furniture appears to float. Cloud lights by Frank Gehry for Vitra and chairs inspired by the colour of the Caribbean subtly bring the outdoors in.